It is almost the beginning of spring and it sure feels like it. It has been raw, but above freezing and we have had 7" of rain in the last two days. It is still pouring as I write. Ick! I like the later spring where we have the flowers, not the constant showers. I hope that spinach seed I planted last week doesn't wash away. I've seen actual puddles in my garden and that is so unusual since I'm on a slight slope at the top of a hill. I'm glad I covered those seeds. And I'm really glad I decided to wait until after the rain to plant my peas. They hate being underwater and would probably rot in these conditions.
But it is Harvest Monday so I'd better get with it. I ate a bit from my stored food, but not much.. In a few weeks my frozen spinach will be gone. I hope the overwintered spinach starts pulling its weight by then.
The big news is that I spent yet more money. I put up new lights with timer and bought some new flats. So the tally gets added onto negatively again. I always hate to see the garden go into the red in the spring, but it that is the way of it. You buy things in the spring and then in the summer make up for the cost. When you count your garden dollars like this you can really see why the farmers like CSAs. They can stay in the black in the spring.
Spent
- 2 x new flats: $1.89
- 4" shop light with wide reflector $28.52
- 2 x T8 cool white bulbs (which are great for seedlings and cheap) $5.88
- Timer $11.66
Yearly Tally
- Spent: $188.68
- Harvested: $0.21
- Total: $-188.47
If you would like to join Harvest Monday with a tally, a harvest or how you are using it, put your name and URL into Mr. Linky below.
I know what you mean about being in the red! It may be July before I get in the black. Still, it does pay off big. I hope the rain stops soon!
ReplyDeleteGosh, I wish i'd known you needed a timer. I have 2 that won't be used anymore, and i'd send ya one.....
ReplyDeleteDaphne, I'm not a veggie gardener. BUT, I'm really becoming inspired to start. I have much fruit, but invest nothing aside from fertilizer for these everbearing producers. I like your idea of keeping a tally...great way of measuring your success!
ReplyDeleteMy garden is drowning at the moment. The only thing saving my seeds from washing away is the plastic hoops. I would not want to plant seeds under these conditions without them. Now I'm wishing that I had put my garden in another area of my yard.
ReplyDeleteMy timer is a lifesaver. Yesterday I did more seed maintenance, and potted up some of the bigger babies. I've got to get out there and prep beds. After grading, of course.
ReplyDeleteThe soil blocks you're using are such a great idea! I've spent a small fortune on my garden - maybe one day it will be in the black!
ReplyDeleteSeems like there's either too much rain or not enough. Your garden is drowning in rain, but I spent yesterday hauling 160 lbs of rainwater one watering can at a time to water my garden. My arms are getting in great shape, thanks to my rain barrels. I haven't had to turn on the hose since December. I hope to make it through March with stored water, and am hoping for one or two more rainfalls before the dry season sets in. Good gardening to you!
ReplyDeletelalalalala!!! (fingers in my ears) ... I already direct sowed (had to get 2 months of gardening in 1) ... and I'm looking at my peas just hoping that the water will encourage growth and not rot! I don't see any puddles around the seedlings, so maybe there's hope???? I've never seen anyone 'offset' costs before ... kinda cool ... I'm going to be interested to see what you end up with!
ReplyDeleteI have been in the red since I picked up gardening 3 years ago, but I lost 8 lbs last year without dieting and going to the gym, I call it break-even, maybe I should calculate $$$ to per ounce of fat lost ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm at $150 already, due mostly to the 3 new grow light fixtures and tubes. By the time I get my yard of compost, I'll be nearing $200. I tried to buy a floating row cover at Lowe's yesterday, and nobody in the garden dept. had any idea what it (or Remay or Agribond) were! Unbelievable...they'd never heard of such a thing.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, all the rain we were getting must have headed your way. Just when I thought I was starting to get webbed feet the sun finally came out. Seven inches in two days is a lot, aren't you glad you're not at the bottom of the hill!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got your spinach planted, hope the rain didn't drown it!
ReplyDeleteI was hoping I'd have spinach to show off this week, but I didn't manage to pick any in time. Ah well, next week. Leeks to the rescue!
Hopefully all that seed starting stuff will pay off in the long run. Rain eh? We've been spoiled here with high temperatures so much so that there is almost no snow. That doesn't usually happen until the end of this month, at least.
ReplyDeleteGrow spinach grow.
It rained here from Friday night until Sunday night but not enough to flood. I'm not usually one to complain about rain but near the freezing point with high winds is just nasty!
ReplyDeleteI hope the weather calms down for you pronto and that your seed beds are intact when it does. Your overwintered spinach looked like it was not going to need much encouragement to start producing well for you - so hopefully soon!
ReplyDeletevillager, me too. I think July was the month that I made it into the black finally.
ReplyDeleteEG, I have a lot of timers downstairs, but they are all two prong. I really need a three prong for the lights.
Kimberly, I hope you do try that veggie garden. My biggest advice for new gardeners is to plant in full sun, start small, and use raised beds. I've seen people try to make a big garden at the start and get discouraged when they can't keep up with it. You can always grow the garden if your time and enthusiasm are plentiful.
Thomas, it is times like this that I'm really glad to be at the top of the hill. Drainage isn't much of an issue. But that storm was the wettest that I remember here. We got over 9". Usually our bad storms are only 6". Our sump pump is still going on occasionally and it never even turned on for the last 3" storm we had.
Stefaneener, I couldn't grow seedlings without a timer. I just can't remember.
A Kitchen Garden in Kihei Maui, hopefully it will.
Lou Murray, too bad we couldn't have sent an inch of it to you.
kiwi gomes, lol well today is a no rain day here so hopefully things will dry out quickly and I can plant. And maybe your seed will dry out a bit too.
Mac, the gardening for weight loss plant :> I like it. I find that I lose weight every summer once the produce starts coming in. I eat so many more veggies in the summer and fall. Then I gain it back in the winter. I don't diet to do this it just happens. Gardens really are good for the waistline.
Granny, I'm sure I'll spend more this year too, but not sure on what, but it always happens. Only crazy gardeners hear about things like remay. A normal gardener wouldn't put up ugly little white blobs in the garden.
henbogle, I think my spinach will be fine, but only time will tell.
Ottawa Gardener, well we are about to get a gorgeous week. I can really use it after the storm.
Dan, I hate that too. Our rain was mixed with sleet at the end so it was getting pretty cold.
kitsapFG, I think with our temps being in the 50s this week that spinach will start growing well. I can't wait for my first spring harvest.
I'm a day late....but it was a Monday harvest. :)
ReplyDeleteKelly, a day late is still great. For me any harvest would be good.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be a few weeks before I have anything, but I love the idea!
ReplyDelete